Aibu Retiring at 55 - 30 years of idleness?

[Scotsknowbest]

So this is the thing: so many local friends have given up working in the last few years in their early to mid 50s, aibu to think what on earth are you going to do to stay interested and interesting?
I thought perhaps they would shut the house up and set off on a big trip but holidays have been more like 2 weeks in Greece instead of one.
I thought perhaps they would volunteer but that seems too restrictive for them.
I thought some might use their professional skills to join executive boards as NEDs or in advisory roles. But no.
Some have upped their golf or tennis, some are focusing on the garden (what, every day?) some walk the dog, read the paper.
I just think they will become so boring!
In contrast I caught up with 3 old school friends this evening who I see about once or twice a year. I asked them when they thought they would retire and each thought mid 60s.
Many of my friends have inherited recently and I think this has been the nudge. I have also inherited but I don't feel any different!
Just for context I am 57, work in 2 roles, one executive, board level, one professional but different area (social work) which takes me to about 4 days a week but I also run 4 properties as a landlord and have an aging dad who lives a mile away who I help with admin, appointments, organising stuff. I also have 2 grown kids the youngest at uni, 1st year. So, not as busy as when I worked and had little kids, but pretty busy in a good way. Personally I can't imagine stopping working so aibu, is 50to55 simply too young to be retiring even if the catalyst has been a windfall inheritance?

Lots of people I saw retire early 10-15 years ago have had to go back to some sort of work. What felt like a generous pension 15 years ago didn’t take long to become not enough- at least not enough if you need to afford to replace your kitchen or go on holiday or do anything other than watch daytime television.

I honestly believe most under 50 now won’t be able to afford to retire even when they get to retirement age. I can’t see myself retiring ever. My hope is that I can go part-time enough to enjoy other things. And I’m lucky in that my job is not physically demanding. The way AI is going though some of us won’t even have jobs. It’s grim enough to give me nightmares.

Goodness what a lot of replies!
It's been nice to read how many of you have shared the full range of things you do such as volunteering, studying, doing things for family (caring, childcare) enjoying hobbies and travel etc as well as part time or self employed roles rather than full time, in the same field or a new one. That wasn't really the point of my OP as that's exactly what feels to me like interesting, satisfying time spent, I would like to know you!. I think the friends I had in mind are not doing those sorts of things that I find interesting, because we are all different I asked if I was being unreasonable :) and is this a waste of 30 years....

I didn't intend to humble brag as some of you suggested (some in an incredibly unpleasant way and one even accusing me of being a londoner) I gave job/activity context as otherwise I thought I would be accused of drip feeding. And also because my work is not exhausting, physical work or deadly boring, so the context for my post is for people lucky enough to have work that they enjoy (mostly) even though elements of my client facing work can be stressful of course. And my retired friends worked in a whole range of professional skilled roles. Wondering after reading the comments if they are in decompress mode, that might be it.

For those who have hard physical jobs or mentally draining ones I totally agree, getting out when you can would be an aim I would aspire to in your shoes.

Thanks everyone

Maybe it’s reaction to the aggressive behaviour they are getting from others? I don’t know. I was just saying more people had covid than know they had it.

I sold a business I'd created 18 yrs earlier. My husband still works, but I cleared the mortgage and have enough to pay myself a similar salary until I'm 60. Hopefully the money I have invested will increase so I'll have small payrises too. It was never my intention to retire so early, but lockdown wasn't kind to my mental health and I worked so many hours when my children were little, I love being so available to them now. Just because they got older doesn't mean they needed me less.

Wow !

With respect, you didn't know him and you weren't there.

My husband retired at 53, he lasted six months and then went back into a full time position. He is so much happier now. I’ve reduced my hours and that for me is perfect. Retirement is not something I’m looking at doing for many years. My friends who have retired have become so boring and I really don’t want to be like them.

What do you think has made your friends boring? Why are they less interesting to you now than when they were working?

You could do retirement differently from them.

Oh I wonder if we have the same friends 🤣

me too, but my sense of purpose is about ME and what I WANT and I can do what will take me there as slowly or as quickly as I choose.

no and my apologies for offending. Its just that I have dealt with many people with Alzheimers and its very common for families to believe that a loved one would not have it if they had stayed more mentally active, when in fact, the fact that they didn't was an early diagnostic pointer to something's being wrong.

Lots of people have asked, do you talk about work with friends. I would say yes to some degree, not literally 'this is what I did today...' but I work for a company currently restructuring in a big way which is in the news, people ask me about it, it generates discussion. I also work in a client facing job which is massively affected by government policy, cuts, social issues, cost of living. These are topics that get discussed by me and my friends. That doesn't mean we don't talk about what film we saw or what band we are going to see or a book we read. But yes, I would say as friends we do talk about our work indirectly. So if you play golf and go to lunch and walk the dog, and you are friends with me we may find in time we have less to communicate about as previously we might have talked about your job as an estate agent and a tricky client, or a project you were working on that involved new technology, or a medical advance that has made your job easier or we might ponder the impact of lifting the child benefit cap and how that impacts families I work with. So kind of work related.
Just waiting now for the pile on from mum's netters who will call me a d**k, a humble bragger etc just saying how it is in my world, not saying how it should be in yours.

@Scotsknowbest I haven’t stopped being interested in political issue or scientific advances or other social issues because I’m retired. I could absolutely contribute to the discussions you mention. And what with retirees living in the world like everyone else I might well have some examples of my own to add or things to relate it to.

Since I retired I have stayed friends with a few of the people I worked with over the years. I love meeting up with them but the most boring thing we ever talk about is the place of work we shared. If they are still working at the same place they assume I'm still interested in the goings on there. The talk about the politics, the 'he said' 'she said', the 'remember Terry, he's still doing that same thing where.......' and the 'the latest project is a nightmare' stuff only serves to make me 100% relieved I'm retired.

I don't know why the don't think it's boring to me.
Perhaps they find me boring because I don't want to hear the office politics.

I agree with this, my DM’s started showing signs around the age of 66 but now with more knowledge when I look back I realise her stopping doing her favourite activities, ;(swimming, sudoku, interest in the stock market, yoga, socialising, travelling the world, trying new recipes) combined with changes in her personality from her very early 60’s were the very start of it.

I am so sorry for your mother's illness.

I’m currently 53 and a stay at home parent to our almost 12 year old who is out of school due to additional needs. Hubby is 48 and plans to retire at 50. He won’t fully retire but will pick up some consultancy work that he can pick and choose rather than be tied to a job. That is a choice rather than necessity though. We have lots of travel planned when he does retire and we can get some much needed time together.
we were saying the other day about retirement age because so many people work until late 60’s early 70’s they often don’t have the physical ability to go and enjoy travel like you would in your 50’s.
we are in an incredibly fortunate position that we will be on the same income level when he stops work and then higher income once able to draw pensions so we have the financial ability to really enjoy retirement. Obviously for most pensioners money is limited which therefore limits opportunities and life could be boring, but each to their own, what’s one persons boring is another’s dream.
we talked about when you retire around 70 you don’t tend to start up hobbies or interests whereas I think you’re more likely to in your 50’s.

I retired early 50’s and now think of life as one long weekend and I’ve never had a boring weekend in my life so I can’t see how not working makes me boring. The opposite I would say, I’m often booking a holiday for the next day and off I go on an adventure . Plus it’s a lot more fun meeting up with friends when you aren’t knackered from work.

You are lucky. Someone I know who recently died (80) was paid off at 51 and had years of good health and was able to enjoy those extra years. I guarantee that no one on their death bed will wish they had worked for longer than they needed to

The people that don't volunteer because of the jumped up oh so important twats that annoy the life out of everyone.

So sorry for you both. I absolutely agree, health is certainly wealth, and i didn't appreciate mine fully until I had a head injury and post concussion syndrome before being injured permanently by an off label antipsychotic that gave me a movement disorder a decade ago. I went from being a fit and healthy 34 year old to soneone in pain with a not so rare condition. 😢💔

Life is so precious and quite fragile. Grab each day and then try to find pleasure in the small things ♥️

What statistics are you talking about?

Given the fact that aviation fuel is about to run about (well just in time for May half term in England!) and the EES is making travel deeply unpleasant, I am not sure retiring in order to travel a lot is particularly well timed currently!

I find weekends so boring, especially Sundays. I am generally relieved to get back to work on a Monday!

I also think that if you retire too early, your parents will expect more of you. Those of you thinking you're going to gallivant around the world - your own health might be ok but it won't be much fun if you are constantly having to cancel trips because parents have accidents or get ill. A lot of travel insurers won't pay out if your relative is on an NHS waiting list and then the operation comes up - which I think is deeply unfair given how long you can be on a waiting list.

The idea was that older people retire to give younger people a chance. But companies just use AI and don't replace people when they leave.

I mentioned elderly parents getting in the way of travel plans but I suspect some people can't retire because their adult children can't find jobs so they are still having to keep them.